


(Don't) stand so close to me.

by Electra_Gaunt



Category: Peaky Blinders (TV)
Genre: Arthur Shelby falling in love with a good girl, F/M, original female character as reader, original female character is the innocent oblivious girl, sorry Linda Shelby I don't know you
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-11
Updated: 2021-02-11
Packaged: 2021-03-18 07:40:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,707
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29364873
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Electra_Gaunt/pseuds/Electra_Gaunt
Summary: “Be careful, Arthur,” said Tommy. “Don’t follow my lead in this heart affairs, brother. I’m no good at them.”I won’t,Arthur wanted to say,she is not Grace and I’m not you. Nothing is going to happen between us, trust me.But, for some reason, he couldn’t find the strength to say those words.(Or: Arthur falls in love with the new bartender he hired at the Garrison. John and the rest of the family help him deal with the new feelings.)
Relationships: Arthur Shelby/Original Female Character(s), Arthur Shelby/Reader
Comments: 1
Kudos: 32





	(Don't) stand so close to me.

**Author's Note:**

> First fanfic in this fandom, about my love Arthur Shelby.  
> Enjoy!
> 
> (English is not my first language... but I tried, at least.)  
> (ALso, you can read this ff as OFC=reader... even though I have added some physical descriptions).
> 
> xoxo

Arthur couldn’t keep his eyes off of her. Small girl, curves in the right places, with long curly hair, green eyes, a sweet foreign and tender smile, no evil or malice hiding behind it. Such a pure creature, standing right there, judging all of them without speaking a single word.

Such an innocent being… working for him, serving beers and alcohol in his pub, like it was a normal thing being surrounded by people devoted to promiscuity, fights and almost illegal businesses.

And Arthur wasn’t the only one in his family watching every single step she made: Finn was the most obvious, then Michael, Isaiah and even John had looked in her direction multiple times, since she had started working at the Garrison.

“Are you sure you want her?” Said Tommy one evening, while drinking his glass of expensive whiskey. He was watching the new barista as well, with pensive eyes.

“Why you asking?”

“Because,” said his brother, “you’re looking at her like she’s made of- I don’t fucking know, _porcelain_? And if this is the case, she really shouldn’t be here.”

Arthur sighed, filling his glass once again. “I tried, ‘aright? To persuade her, but she says she needs money and- come on, she’s efficient! And keeps clients entertained without being too _open_ … d’ya know what I mean?”

Tommy smiled, with his usual half smirk that Arthur sometimes hated (that was one of those times). “Is she keeping you entertained, as well, brother?”

The older Shelby punched him lightly on the shoulder, almost offended, before turning again to watch his new employee busing herself with a conspicuous group of men Arthur barely knew.

“I’ll go help her.” He said abruptly, standing up and leaving Tommy at their private table in the back.

“Be careful, Arthur,” said the other. “Don’t follow my lead in this heart affairs, brother. I’m no good at them.”

_I won’t,_ Arthur wanted to say, _she is not Grace and I’m not you. Nothing is going to happen between us, trust me._

But, for some reason, he couldn’t find the strength to say those words.

She ended up working there for months, after his little discussion with Thomas. Efficiently, always on time, well-behaved both with clients and him. She seemed totally uninterested towards the Peaky Blinders businesses (Arthur had started pay more attention after Grace’s betrayal) which was a good thing. She just came in for her shift, most of the times a little bit earlier to prepare the barrels of beer and clean the tables, and went back home right after tiding up the room.

_The perfect employee_ , Arthur had thought one evening. _The perfect girl to have around, with that stunning smile and that waist and those breasts and-_

He had closed his eyes immediately, _Fucking hell! Stop thinking about her, Christ!_

And after saying goodbye to her one evening, watching her trailing away from the Garrison at three in the morning, he chose a couple of babes to take home with him, just in case he needed to remind himself that Arthur Shelby could had had any girl he wanted, at any time, and he definitely didn’t need an _actual_ angel to fulfill his desires.

*

“I-I’m very sorry to interrupt,” she said one morning, her cheeks a little tinged of red from the embarrassment. “But Harry is still not here and- Mr. Shelby, could you help me a moment with those whiskey cases, please?” She asked, looking at Arthur.

Her voice was hesitant, given the fact that she had interrupted a meeting among the Blinders, comfortably seated in the back area of the Garrison since the opening hour. Nine pairs of eyes moved towards her, with interest.

“I can help with that, if you like,” said immediately Finn, standing up with no effort while removing his peaked flat cap and putting it in the pocket of his tailored blue jacket. Arthur felt something in his stomach hurt, a strong grip maybe. It was painful enough, uncomfortable like anything he had ever experienced (expect for the atrocities of war, to be honest).

Arthur raised as well from his seat, staring angrily at Finn, and he was ready to say ‘ _mind your fucking business, mate_ ’ when, suddenly, Thomas put a hand on his arm, holding him in place.

“Yes, you go Finn. Arthur, I need you here.”

There was a moment of absolute silence. Arthur took seat again beside his brother, watching the table in front of him with anger.

“Thank you Mr. Shelby, I won’t interrupt again. I’m truly sorry.” Said the girl, returning behind the counter, followed by a smiling Finn.

After that, she and Finn became good friends, obviously. He spent a lot of his spare time at the pub, watching her work, talking to her, helping her with heavy lifting cases of wine and whiskey and gin. And, suddenly, that beautiful smile was no longer for the clients or for Arthur, but just for his younger sibling.

Younger, good looking and well-mannered brother with no traumatic memories of war.

(That was the entire situation summarized in a sentence.)

She was young, too young to be with a 35 years old war veteran man with deeper scars than skin could show. And the girl was in her early 20s, beautiful and untouched… and Finn would be perfect for her (Arthur admitted it while looking at them talking).

Polly and Ada always laughed while staring at the two lovebirds chatting, exchanging looks. _‘Made for each other’,_ said Ada once.

And it felt worse when Arthur realized how true that statement was.

*

He had tried to stay away, distracting himself with the seducing woman sitting in his lap, during an evening in mid-January, but his eyes would constantly brought his attention back behind the counter where Harry and the girl were.

It was almost midnight, pub half full, lots of drunk people spending money on alcohol. The usual, expect for the random guy touching his beautiful employee without a care in the world: at first, it was her hand, then her arm, her fingers, her wrist, shoulder, cheek, chin, neck. The girl had put distance between them every single time, firmly, but even Harry had felt the need to intervene a couple of times.

_They can handle themselves, there’s no reason to make a fucking scene, Arthur._

So he had stayed put for the entire night, trying to relax and enjoy his bottle of whiskey.

“Shall we go in the back, Mr. Shelby?” Whispered the woman in his ear, scratching the back of his head. Her perfume was inebriating but too sickly sweet for his taste, too flowery. Her eyes were painted black, too black, her mouth too red.

“The night is young, doll. Let’s not rush it, yeah?” Answered Arthur, drinking from his glass. The fact was that he wasn’t in the mood for casual sex, for the very first time in his miserable existence.

_Fast women and slow horses will ruin your life,_ dad had said once and Arthur had believed it to be true, for the majority of time. But now, no fast woman could have helped him forgetting her, nor a fast horse either.

Arthur took another gulp of whiskey, feeling the reassuring burning sensation in his chest and welcoming it like an invisible hug. An old friend.

“Is everything alright, Mr. Shelby?”

“Of course, dear. D’ya know what?” He said, moving her body away from him. He really needed to stop thinking, to lose himself between a good pair of long legs. It was the right thing to do, the only thing to do.

She would never be his, not even for a moment.

_Finn is perfect, perfect for her, and not your fucking stupid ugly ass, mate._

“You’re right, it’s getting boring out here… let’s go in my office, doll.”

The woman smiled in his direction, putting out the cigarette in her right hand with a slow movement and kissing him on the mouth with intensity. Arthur felt her fingers trail on his shoulders, while meeting her tongue halfway. He closed his eyes, trying not to imagine another pair of lips, of eyes, of hands.

It was overwhelming, as it usually was, for the first five minutes and it would have continued that way if not for a loud noise behind them. They stopped immediately, confused.

“What’s happening, Mr. Shelby?”

Arthur raised from his chair, mumbling a simple ‘ _stay here’_ to the woman, following the confusing sounds coming from the front.

There were a lot of guys laughing hard, wasted on the floor, and a man lied on the counter with his long arms around _the_ girl, intent on kissing her collarbone. Arthur saw actual red, his blood pumping more rapidly into his veins, when he understood what was going on.

“You… piece of shit!” He screamed, punching the other right in the face while Harry helped the girl standing up: her curly hair were a complete mess, a slight fear clouding her eyes like a veil and Arthur couldn’t stand it. He couldn’t accept it. Never.

_No one should touch her, no one is enough!_

He continued throwing punches, devastating that poor example of that man’s face and reducing it into a picture of blood and tear up skin. He’d have killed him with pleasure if not for John and other Blinders dividing the two of them.

“Everybody out, now!” John said, gasping heavily. “Fucking out, all of ya!”

The guy was escorted out as well, barely able to walk straight with a warning of not set foot at the Garrison ever again.

After an hour, everything was calm again.

“You sure you ok?” Asked John, passing him another full glass of whiskey. Arthur had a scratch on his face, battered hands, but other then that he was apparently fine.

Apparently.

“What d’ya mean?”

John smirked in his direction. “Arthur… I’ve known you all my life and I’ve _never_ seen you defending some woman’s honor like this before.”

“Shut-”

“Very _knight in shining armor_ of you, brother.” He whispered, watching the girl at the center of their conversation cleaning the floor not far away from them.

“Don’t make me angry with you too, I’m not in the right mind to take your bullshit lightly.”

“You have never looked at a girl the way you look at her,” laughed John, his blue eyes sparkling in the soft light. “Almost like you want to eat her and shield her from every single breathing man around, at the same time.”

“He shouldn’t have touched her that way, she’s my fucking employee!” Arthur answered, his voice tinged with a calm violence. “Now, go back home to your wife!”

“Of course,” he grinned. “I’ll leave you two alone.” And that being said, he fled the pub with the same laugh Tommy used to have before the war.

Arthur took the bottle with him, walking back in his office in search of a bandage to put on his right hand. The medical kit was under his table, as usual, with a couple of guns and ammunitions.

Soft footsteps interrupted his private and quiet moment and he knew, he knew, whom those belonged to.

*

The door of his office was slightly open when she walked in, only the simple reading lamp was on. From the closed window behind Arthur’s desk, she could see lights and fireplaces accompanied by loud and happy voices: the streets of Birmingham were still alive, even at that late hour of the night (early morning, to be precise).

There was blood on his face, probably not even his. Some scratches, on his neck as well, cheeks, hands.

She lowered her eyes, feeling painfully aware that it was her fault if that horrible fight had begin in the first place. Painfully aware that she probably didn’t belong there, among those people and that Arthur had been right when he had tried to persuade her in choosing another job around town.

“Mr. Shelby, I-” before she could have finished the sentence, Arthur stopped her.

“You can call me Arthur, when we are alone. You know that, right?”

Her heart leaped in her chest. She smiled at him, blush on her cheeks.

_Thank God he can’t see me clearly._ She thought.

“Arthur, I brought some clean cloths and a bucket of warm water if you want to wash off the blood,” she said, putting those things beside him. “I found a new shirt as well, in the back. Do you want me to bring it to ya?”

“No, it won’t be necessary, I have one of my own, here.” He answered, without looking at her in the eyes. “You can go. I’ll close up.”

She took a step back towards the wood door and then stopped.

“Arthur,” whispered. “I wanted to thank you.”

“Why is that?”

“For defending me, I was so scared when the guy tried to fight back and-” her voice cracked, just a bit, but Arthur raised his soulful eyes on her for the first time since she had entered his office. “I’m glad you’re alright. I wouldn’t have forgiven myself if something had happened to you. It was all my fault and I’m… sorry.” Some tears had fallen on her face in the meantime.

“Stop that.” Arthur said, standing up and walking right in front of her. “This was not your responsibility, luv. Some men just can’t keep their hands to themselves… and, in here, people should feel safe to have a good time without being molested.”

“But-”

“It’s not good for the business, luv. And, honestly?” He continued. “I love a fight more than you know… I’m still here! So, no worries.”

Arthur smiled at her, touching her cheeks with his dirty hands in order to dry off the tears. And it was in that moment he realized how close they were: he could feel every single breath, her natural perfume (she smelled like cleaning products and alcohol and _cotton),_ her trembling figure still in shock.

“Everything is ok, trust me.” He didn’t know what else to say, too convoluted in his own confused feelings. “Do you trust me?”

“After this evening, I might trust you with my life.” She answered with a simple laugh, sincere. Entire minutes passed (felt like hours, if you had asked Arthur) in which they stayed close, sharing the dense electric air between them. She was smaller than him, her heart shaped face near his shoulder and her dark green eyes never leaving his blue ones.

It would have been _easy_ , for Arthur, to keep her there, taking her in his strong arms, holding her from the waist just to feel her breasts pressing against his chest. It would have touched her neck first, her jaw and her temple, before falling on her mouth in an exasperatingly slow kiss.

An innocent kiss, at the beginning, but not so much at the end of it. She would have moaned in pleasure and he would have taken his time discovering her skin.

He wanted her so much, so deeply, that Arthur almost felt disoriented.

“Alright, now… go pick your stuffs, I’ll take you home.” Said the older Shelby, coughing just to disguise the tension.

“Y-yes,” she whispered, looking flushed as well. Her eyes glossy, pupils delated. “But you don’t have too, I can walk home. I don’t live far-”

“I know where you live,” Arthur smirked in her direction. “I knew that information since you started here, luv.”

“Oh.”

“I do that with every employee, don’t worry,” he shook his head. “It has been a long day, yeah? Let me do this for you.”

She nodded slowly, murmuring a ‘ _thank you_ ’, leaving the room in silence, with a shy smile radiating from her face.

_Fucking hell,_ Arthur thought. _She’s going to be the end of me._

“I’ve never been in a car before,” she said, watching the instrument panel and the steering wheel with interest. Arthur felt immensely proud of drivingher back home with his 1920 Rolls-Royce.

“Are you enjoying it?”

“Yes, very much,” she answered, giggling a bit. “Do you? Enjoy driving, I mean.”

“One of the fewest pleasure in life, luv. Believe me.”

“Is it hard? Difficult?”

Arthur laughed. “You want to try it?”

Her eyes widened with fear and stupor. “No! Not at all! I’m pretty sure I would destroy your beautiful vehicle. I’m no good at such things.”

“You said you trusted me.”

“Arthur, of course I do but-”

That being said, Arthur shifted into a higher gear and with a click the car accelerated. They drove passed her house, heading out of Birmingham where the streets were empty and wide.

“Where are we going, Mr. Shelby?”

“Arthur.”

“Arthur, sorry.”

“I’m going to give you driving lessons, doll. _This_ is the future!” He exclaimed, feeling positively high even though no cocaine was circulating in his blood.

“I thought you were tired.”

“Not anymore,” he said, turning his gaze toward her. “What about you? Do you feel like going home?”

She smiled enthusiastically, like she never did before. “Not anymore.” And Arthur felt like he could have conquered London by himself with her by his side.

“You almost got it, you just need to be smoother while changing pedals. Try again.” Arthur said, keeping a hand at the back of the driving seat where she sat and the other on the dashboard. He was close to her face, like he was back in his office. His eyes never leaving the others.

It was almost three in the morning but the moon was still up in the sky, illuminating the empty street in front of her.

“Alright, let me see,” the girl murmured, completely concentrated in her task. And, that time, the car muttered awake and moved forward slowly.

“Yes, yes!” She screamed, pressing the break pedal and turning off the car. “I did it, Arthur! So now I can drive, right?”

“It’s a bit more complicated than this but-”

“But it’s a beginning, right?!” Her face looking happy and open.

"Yes, a beginning.”

And without a single warning, she hugged him tight, extending her lovely arms toward him and hiding her face in the hollow between his shoulder and neck.

“Thank you, Arthur, so much!” She bubbled. “This was the most exciting thing I’ve ever done! I know it’s not much, but-”

“We can try again tomorrow night, if you like.” Said Shelby, keeping her close as he had always wanted to do. “Yeah?”

“Yes, I’d love that very much.”

The hug didn’t last much longer and even though she said she wasn’t tired, Arthur knew better. The drive back was quiet and fast (too fast), the echo of the motor vibrating in the nocturnal air.

“Take the morning off, would ya? Just come for the night shift, alright?” He said when he stopped the car once again.

“Are you sure? Harry said-”

“I’m the boss, remember? Don’t worry about Harry. I’ll deal with him.”

“Alright, Arthur. Tell my boss I’m thankful for the kind gesture.”

He smirked. “I will,” he answered. “Now, off you go. ‘Night, doll.”

She smiled again for the hundredth of times that night, leaning over to kiss his cheek. Her supple mouth felt hot on his skin. “Have a good night, Arthur. See you tomorrow.”

Arthur waited until she was inside the apartment, before driving off with his mind completely clouded with visions of her.

*

“Arthur, fucking hell mate!” John screamed right in his ear. “Are you already high this early in the afternoon, brother? Are you listening to me?!”

“Stop yelling, John! Christ! Just talk!”

John got quiet immediately, watching him with careful attention. His horrendous half smile covering his face. “Did you even sleep last night?”

“Couple of hours, yeah.”

“I see,” murmured. “Was she good? The girl, I mean.”

Arthur turned his eyes in John’s direction, clenching his fists. “Nothing happened, John, if this is what you’re asking.”

“Maybe you should do it, you know?” Continued the younger Shelby. He lighted a cigarette, leaning against the wall right outside the Shelby Ltd company offices. Arthur would have preferred being at the Garrison, instead of standing there like an idiot, waiting for Tommy to show up. But business was business (and the faster he got through his chores, the faster evening would have come).

“Not following, John.”

“Do her, ‘aright? Bang her for a couple of nights, just to let her out of your system, mate. And everything will be fine ag-”

Arthur couldn’t stop himself from punching his shoulder with all the anger he had in his body. “Stop talking about her that way! She’s not a whore! And nothing happened between us!”

“But you want to happened, am I right?! Admit it, for Christ’s sake!” John stood up, face livid. “To hell Finn, right? You don’t care that he’s courting her, you want the girl! It’s clear as daylight!”

“So what?! Mh? What does it change that I desire being around her for as long as I can?” He yelled. “Why do you mind so much that I care?!”

The younger brother stopped, burnt by his words.

“Hold on, hold on!” John said, raising his hands as a sign of surrender. “I thought that- you… what did you just say? You fancy her? Like, _fancy_ her? For real?”

“What if I do?” Arthur said, lowering his voice.

John went back smoking, looking at the street in front of him for a couple of seconds before erupting in a liberating laugh. “Then, what are you waiting for, dickhead? Go to her! Ask her out or something!”

Arthur felt his chest tightening. “You know it’s not possible.”

“Why not?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” he shook his head. “Too young for me and Finn-”

“Too young? Since when do you care about their age?” A puff of smoke came out of his mouth. “And to hell Finn, Arthur! He’ll find another girl to fuck.”

“She’d never look at me that way,” he answered, searching an effective way to explain what was going on in his head without being too sentimental. “She needs a good man… and I’m far from it.”

Now It was John that shook his head. “You’re blind, mate. You should go and have your eyes checked if you didn’t notice how she was looking at ya for the rest of the night, after you fucking saved her honor and bit the shit out of that guy, in front of everyone.” The cigar was almost over. “That girl couldn’t keep it together, trust me.”

“Not true.”

“Alright, let’s bet,” he said, spitting in his hand. “I bet she will be yours, couple of weeks from now. Or less. Let’s say… 30 pounds, ya?”

Arthur sighed with a resigned smile. “You’re going to lose.”

“You have to try, though. So,” he whispered like it was saying a secret. “I suggest you go to her house and ask her out, tomorrow evening… nice restaurant and all that shit or a beer after work.”

“Fuck off,” Arthur said, a bit anxious. “I know what I’m doing.”

Even though Arthur would have loved to go straight to her house, Tommy had showed up as expected and the three Shelbys worked until it was too late to go anywhere.

The older brother entered his pub right before closing hour. Harry was cleaning the counter, the rest of the room already spotless.

“I sent her home, if you’re looking for her, Arthur.”

“Why?” He asked, frustrated.

The old man shrugged. “Quiet night, not like yesterday. She finished her chores and went home 10 minutes ago. Is something wrong?”

“No,” He answered, putting his cap back on his head. Car keys were a solid weight in his hands. “I’ll go, you close.”

“Yes, of course. Have a good night.” But Arthur was already out of the Garrison.

The streets were full of men and women, as usual, the sky was clouded and without stars. No moon. He slowed down at every corner, just to search for her face and only when he had almost reached her house, he saw the girl. Her beautiful curly hair were tied up in a red ribbon. She was clutching her little purse to her chest, her pace fast on the sidewalk.

Arthur clenched his jaw while watching a young man following her, still dressed as a coal factory worker. His steps were shaky, a clear sign he had been drinking heavily all night.

It didn’t wait longer than that. He stopped the car right in front of them, dismounting from the vehicle with a fluid movement. “Oy, mate! Look at me!”

The guy had turned in Arthur’s direction, ready to yell and fight until he recognized the figure in front of him.

“Mr. Shelby.”

“I though I made myself clear, with everyone.”

“A-about what?”

Arthur stepped in front of him, like a bull with a red cloak. “She’s not to be molested, in any way, wherever she goes around this fucking city. Understood?”

“Yes, Mr. Shelby.” He said, visibly upset. “I’ll go.”

“Exactly, you go and tell everyone. I won’t repeat it again.”

Arthur watched him run away, as fast as he could, without looking back. He tooka deep breathe before raising his eyes on her.

Her face was relaxed, finally, gratitude written all over that stunning smile.

“I’m sorry you have to intervene in my favor every single time, Mr. Shelby.”

“Arthur.” He corrected her. The girl’s cheeks turned red.

“Arthur, yes.”

“As I said before, not your fault. You won’t have any problem, from now on… and if you do, you tell me.”

She nodded. “I was going home, I thought… you were too busy tonight to meet up with me. Harry told me that, sometimes, your line of work happens to require extra hours.”

“It does, usually.” He answered, _if she only knew_. “I just finished.”

“Oh, I see.” Her smile got bigger. “Would you like to join me for dinner or did you eat already?”

“Where would you like to go?”

“I- well, I was thinking, maybe- but I’m sure you know some restaurants still open this late at night and-”

Arthur laughed, lightly. “Doll, just tell me.”

“Well, I’ve prepared something at home, it’s not much but-”

Arthur felt her eyes on him, waiting for a response. He would have paid any amount of money to accept her invitation, dining at her table while spending time talking to her. Enjoying her company in her house, like a normal pair. Husband and wife.

“I can’t,” he said, finally, staring at the ground. “You know I can’t.”

“Why not?” She whispered, her voice almost out of breathe.

“It’s not respectful of me to come inside your apartment, for hours, without a good reason. I’d destroy your reputation and I can’t do that to you.”

“I- I haven't thought about it,” she continued while searching her purse for the house keys. “Then, I’ll wish you good night.”

“Wait,” Arthur took her trembling hands, holding them tight. Their eyes met, instantly, and the same weirdly electric sensation that he had felt the previous night came back. “It’s better if we meet in a public space, you know?”

“Only at work, I’m aware.”

“No, no… what I meant is,” _Am I really doing this?_ “Would you like to go to a proper restaurant with me, one of these days? Tomorrow night?”

“But I have to work-”

“No you don’t, if you don’t want to. It’s up to you, doll.”

She felt weak in the knees, disoriented for a couple of seconds, her heart pumping blood more rapidly, more fiercely before she had the strength to answer without stuttering.

“Of course I’d love to have dinner with you.” And she smiled at him, again and again. Arthur couldn’t keep her eyes off of her.

“Great, I’ll let you know the details.” He said. “You sure you want to do this? Going out with me? You shouldn’t feel pressured in any way.”

The girl stepped even closer, kissing his left cheek as she did the night before. Arthur closed his eyes.

“More than sure. Sleep well, boss.”

The older Shelby stayed right in that spot for half an hour, even though her figure had already entered the apartment building.

_I’m fucked. Completely fucked._


End file.
